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Our campaign for a 15% pay rise
Public sector nurses and midwives in New South Wales are calling for justified and necessary improvements to help rebuild our public health services.
As part of these improvements, we are demanding a 15% pay increase, plus superannuation, for all nurses and midwives from 1 July 2024.
High levels of exhaustion and a decade of wage suppression, coupled with rising cost-of-living pressures, have taken a considerable toll on the nursing and midwifery workforce across our state.
As the largest healthcare workforce, it is essential to look at the investment needed to sustain our nursing and midwifery professions into the future. The viability of our health system depends on it.
Enabling nurses and midwives to achieve and maintain a healthy work-life balance would deliver enormous benefit to both the system and patient outcomes. It will also help retain the knowledge and skills of experienced nurses and midwives, and leave a lasting effect on care.
It’s time to recognise the important contribution nurses and midwives make. This can be done by paying them a fair and deserving wage. NSW nurses and midwives deserve more in 2024.
Where are we up to?
28 June 2024
Yesterday the NSWNMA held its fourth round of talks with the Ministry of Health to progress PHS members’ 2024 Log of Claims. Members of of the PHS Log of Claims Committee were on hand once again to continue making a strong case for our fair, justifiable ask of a one-year 15% pay increase.
Championing our evidence-based ask
Earlier this week we shared our Rapid Business Case, which was developed in conjunction with Deloitte Financial Advisory. What it shows is the government can afford to invest in the public sector nursing and midwifery workforce after a decade of neglect.
We now await direct talks with the Health Minister and his ministry representatives to examine this further.
Willingness to work together
The discussions also centred around some of our no-cost claims, including consecutive days off and consultation on roster changes. Despite significant discussion on these claims, we are yet to reach any agreement with the Ministry of Health.
Click below to hear an update from Muswellbrook Branch Delegate and Log of Claims Committee member, Peggy Smith.
More work to be done
We are yet to see the state government and the Ministry of Health demonstrate how they intend to address wages in a meaningful way here in New South Wales. This means they currently have no plan to return to being the employer of choice for public sector nurses and midwives.
It’s simply not good enough to continue losing staff across the border. Nurses and midwives should not have to pack up and move interstate to be valued, or to be able to pay the bills.
The next steps
We return to the negotiating table next week where our fight for more will continue.
We are in this fight together. We will need every voice to build our collective effort to overhaul public health in our state. Stand with us in this fight for what we deserve!
Previous updates
Another compelling evidence-based report has been presented to the Ministry of Health by the PHS Log of Claims Committee in our campaign for a 15% pay rise and improved conditions.
Earlier this year, the state government set the NSWNMA the challenge of finding savings to facilitate improved wages and conditions – we’ve exceeded that challenge.
A Rapid Business Case developed in conjunction with Deloitte Financial Advisory shows how the government can afford to invest in the public sector nursing and midwifery workforce after a decade of neglect.
The Rapid Business Case reveals:
- Inefficient hospital reporting has cost the state billions of dollars in untapped Commonwealth funding with over $3bn lost in the last five years
- Last year alone, the state missed out on its fair share of commonwealth funding of $1.58bn
- Improving where and how we care for sub-acute patients or patients awaiting an aged care placement can deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in savings
- Improving your wages and workloads will save millions by reducing staff turnover, overtime, agency staffing, and hospital-acquired complications
- By acting on these findings, the government can use the savings to invest in nurses and midwives and pay our 15% pay claim
Hear from General Secretary, Shaye Candish and Assistant General Secretary, Michael Whaites as they unpack the key insights that will strengthen our 2024 Award Claim ask. Click here to watch.
What is clear from both the Rapid Business Case and the Escaping NSW Treasury’s Curse report is that the NSW government is failing to set a wage for nurses and midwives that will lead to the recruitment and retention needed.
The state government must listen to us. Our fight is just beginning.
If the government doesn’t deliver a 15% pay increase to nurses and midwives, it will be because it’s choosing to pay nurses and midwives low wages – and not what we’re worth.
Get ready to fight with us! The state government officially has no excuse now.
Public health system Log of Claims Committee members, alongside NSWNMA staff, have met for the third time with the Ministry of Health to push forward the 2024 Log of Claims that the NSWNMA served in May.
Off the back of this week’s state budget, the NSWNMA’s negotiation team made it clear that nurses and midwives were left behind.
Today, the negotiation team outlined the claim details, backed by personal stories from Log of Claims Committee members. They also outlined our evidence to show the 15% pay claim is affordable. Our detailed and solutions-focused report will be provided to the Ministry and members early next week.
Click below to hear an update from Nepean Blue Mountains Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Branch Secretary and Log of Claims Committee member, Nick Tribbia.
What remains abundantly clear is: we will not win without members taking action.
Remember, we are stronger together. Every NSWNMA member plays a vital role in our collective effort to rebuild and strengthen our workforce, which is in dire need of repair. Let’s fight for what we deserve!
NSWNMA public sector members, check your inboxes for more information.
This afternoon our second round of Award claim negotiations occurred with the Ministry of Health.
Members of the PHS Log of Claims Committee were on hand to make a strong case for a one-year 15% pay increase.
Click below to hear an update from Wagga Wagga Branch President and Log of Claims Committee member, Karen Hart.
We are making progress in ensuring NSWNMA member’s voices are heard, but what is clear is we still have a fight ahead of us to secure the improvements to pay and conditions that nurses and midwives deserve.
“What do we want? 15%! When do we want it? Now!”
Our campaign is ramping up, across the past two days, around 60 LHD representatives from across the state came together in Sydney for training and to formally launch our campaign efforts.
As talks with the Ministry took place this afternoon, NSWNMA members took our message to the streets outside the Ministry of Health. We raised our voices to ensure our ask of the government is crystal clear.
Click below to see the highlights of today’s rally outside the Ministry of Health.
To ensure we win this fight, we need every voice to speak up.
There is no better time than now to stand together to see nurses and midwives paid properly. The government must recognise how much you care.
If you haven’t already, be sure to get involved and help your workplace campaign!
We’ll be in touch with members early next week about next steps.
This afternoon, the NSWNMA held its first 2024 Award claim negotiations with the Ministry of Health, where members of the PHS Log of Claims Committee clearly expressed member’s demands. The Ministry was not in a position to improve the insulting offer of 10.5% over three years.
Your Award claim seeks a one-year 15% pay increase, and we believe this is necessary in the current economic climate.
A justified Award claim
To help inform our position, and ensure our campaign is grounded in strong economic evidence, the NSWNMA sought expert industrial relations and labour market advice from the University of Sydney’s Professor John Buchanan, alongside Dr Troy Henderson, and Associate Professor Jo-An Occhipinti.
Their report, Escaping NSW Treasury’s Curse, examines the financial factors at play. It shows that our ask of 15% is entirely reasonable and justifiable. The NSWNMA took the Ministry through the report, reinforcing that we have the evidence to justify our claim.
Escaping NSW Treasury’s Curse demonstrates the devastating impact of the former government’s public sector wages cap, the ongoing effects of inflation, and how our state lags others in seriously recognising the contributions of nurses and midwives.
The wages of nurses and midwives have fallen by more than 10% in real terms over the last four years. In fact, the buying power of their wages is at 2007 levels. Now is the time for Treasurer Daniel Mookhey to take steps to make this right!
The NSWNMA Council will meet tomorrow to consider our next steps.
Hear from Assistant General Secretary, Michael Whaites, Muswellbrook District Hospital Branch Delegate, Peggy Smith, and South East Regional Hospital Branch President, Diane Lang below.
NSW v QLD: Battle brews for nurses and midwives
Members from the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) donned their blue scrubs in a show of solidarity with the Sky Blues team. Off the field, members showcased the female-dominated workforce’s own big battle, in their fight for a 15% pay rise this year.
Check out our highlight video below.
Earlier this month we served public health system member’s 2024 Award claim on the Ministry of Health, and we want to update you on how this is progressing.
On 19 May, the state government wrote to all public sector unions, including the NSWNMA, indicating a baseline position of a blanket 4% public sector pay offer (or 10.5% over three years).
On Wednesday, the NSWNMA received a letter of offer from the government, confirming the above pay proposal as a formal offer. This is well below our Award claim ask of 15% over one year (plus Super), and we are still yet to have our first negotiation meeting.
The government’s offer is just not good enough. However, in line with our democratic processes, the offer will be put to your NSWNMA Council.
Next steps:
- 6 June: First negotiation meeting to be held
- 6 June: Spreading our message at NRLW State of Origin
- 7 June: Council meets to review government’s offer and make recommendations to branches.
- 12-13 June: Member leaders from across NSW gather for training and campaign launch
- 17-28 June: Branches will be invited to meet and consider Council’s recommendations, including any possible industrial action.
Members of the PHS Log of Claims Committee will be present on 6 June at our first official negotiations with the Ministry. The Committee will be there to reinforce our member’s demands.
Later that day, members from the Hunter and Central Coast will be at the NRLW State of Origin in Newcastle to spread the word about our fight! Branches in all other Local Health Districts are invited to hold a watch party – more information will be provided to members in the coming days.
The claim we have put to the Ministry is justified and necessary. We know nurses and midwives deserve more in 2024, and we’re committed to fighting for the improvements to pay and conditions that our members deserve.
The Association is eagerly awaiting the commencement of negotiations with the Ministry of Health regarding the 2024 Award claim we served earlier this month. The claim includes a pay ask of 15% over one year (plus Super).
Last Sunday evening, the state government wrote to public service unions, including the Association, indicating its baseline position of a blanket 4% public sector pay offer (or 10.5% over three years).
We must stress that this proposal has not been made in response to our 2024 pay claim, nor is it a formal offer to the Association.
What this recent media coverage shows is that less than a month out from our state’s budget, the NSW government has failed to read the room. Stumbling at the first hurdle is not good enough when our state’s health system is at stake.
The following motion was overwhelmingly passed at our Committee of Delegates (COD) meeting today:
This COD deems the government position on pay of 19 May 2024 as a media announcement, not a genuine offer on pay for the NSWNMA in response to our claim. Our members look forward to negotiations commencing between NSWNMA and the MoH, and we will continue to fight for our claim including a 15% pay rise over 1 year.
In the past year we’ve seen other public sector workers, including paramedics and teachers, receive substantial pay increases. It is time the state government turned its full attention to nurses and midwives who have already experienced more than a decade of neglect under previous Liberal governments.
Now is our time. NSW nurses and midwives deserve more in 2024.
On 17 May 2024, NSWNMA representatives met with the Ministry of Health to set out the bargaining timetable and processes for discussing your 2024 Award claim.
Your elected Log of Claims Committee members will be taking part in these negotiations when they commence.
We’ll be sure to keep you updated on the progress of these negotiations.
In the meantime, it is important that we keep sending our message to the NSW Treasurer: nurses and midwives deserve more in 2024.
The Association served the 2024 Award claim on the Ministry of Health on Friday 10 May 2024, seeking that negotiations commence.
The draft claim was overwhelmingly endorsed by public sector branches last month. The Association is committed to fighting for the improvements to pay and conditions that members deserve, and we’re prepared for the robust conversations with government that lie ahead.
At the heart of our claim is a one year, 15% increase in pay, plus superannuation, from 1 July.
We’re also fighting for additional improvements, including:
- a 30% penalty rate for night shifts,
- increasing sick leave to 20 days,
- 100% salary packaging,
- an increase for midwives working in midwifery group practice,
- better work-life balance with consecutive rostered days off, and no changes to published rosters unless consulted.
The Association has also sought further funding for nurse-to-patient ratios to be rolled out in every ward and unit in every public hospital, across the five agreed clinical areas of emergency departments, intensive care units, medical/surgical and mental health wards, maternity and multi-purpose services, ensuring the government delivers its Safe Staffing policy in full. We’ve sought further funding to convert AiN positions to being supernumerary too
The NSWNMA Elected Officers are committed to fighting for this claim, standing side-by-side with members to ensure the government hears our message loud and clear: NSW nurses and midwives deserve more in 2024.
